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Real Madrid CEO Emilio Butragueno has labelled Italian side Napoli ‘a dangerous opponent’ because of Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen.
Napoli will play host to 14-time champions of the UEFA Champions League Real Madrid, tomorrow night in what promises to be an entertaining clash between the Serie A winners and Los Blancos.
Napoli and Real Madrid have been drawn in Group C of the 2023/2024 UEFA Champions League, with Union Berlin and Sporting Braga the other teams in the group.
Although Spanish giants Real Madrid hold the record for the most UEFA Champions League wins, Emilio Butragueno warned that his side must not be complacent when they go head-to-head with the reigning Serie A champions.
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Emilio Butragueno said Los Blancos must be wary of Napoli and the threat the Italian side carries, especially in players like Victor Osimhen.
Emilio Butragueno on Victor Osimhen and Napoli
Butragueno told reporters that Real Madrid would face a very difficult tie against Napoli and they must be at their very best if Los Blancos want to overcome the Serie A side.
“Napoli are a very dangerous opponent, so we need to be extremely wary, because they have players of enormous talent.
“We must do our best to try and overcome them. We know those will be extremely difficult games.
“Yes, (Osimhen and Kvicha Kvaratskhelia) they are fantastic players, but they are Napoli players.”
Napoli vs Real Madrid Head-to-Head
The Scudetto champions and Los Blancos will clash for only the third time since 2017 in the Champions League. Real Madrid were 3-1 winners of the last two meetings, piping Napoli home and away.
This time around, Real Madrid will be without goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois who's out with a long-term injury. Éder Militao, David Alaba, and new signing Arda Güler join the Belgian shot-stopper on the treatment bed.
Real Madrid are clear favourites for this tie, having won four matches in their last five league games. However, Napoli, with Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen leading the line, will be no pushovers, having won three and drawn two of their last five league matches.
Victor Osimhen has scored five goals already in seven league games this season for I Partenopei and Real Madrid's defence will have their hands full with the two sides lock horns on Tuesday.
Napoli won their first group game in the competition 2-1 away to Braga and will be looking to build on that win when they meet Real Madrid 8pm tomorrow.
Victor Osimhen’s stats for Napoli last season
Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen notched up 31 goals in 39 appearances for Napoli last season, helping the Partenopei to a first Scudetto title in 33 years.
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02:08 - 01.10.2023
3 reasons why Osimhen is Napoli’s present-day Maradona not Kvara
Kvicha Kvaratskhelia has been heralded as the second-coming of Diego Maradone to Napoli but here are three reasons why Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen deserves that tag more.
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23:50 - 30.09.2023
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Osimhen’s outstanding performance (26 Serie A goals) saw him crowned last season’s Capocannoniere - becoming the first African player to win the award.
In the Champions League, the Nigerian striker scored five goals as Napoli progressed to the quarterfinals before losing out to AC Milan. This tally could have been more if injuries did not force Osimhen to miss some games.
It promises to be a mouthwatering encounter when Napoli go head-to-head with Real Madrid, who eventual winners Manchester City dismantled in the second leg of last season's UEFA Champions League semi-final.
The Nigerian striker will be a handful for the Real Madrid backline, and no one would bet against the former Lille man finding the back of the net.
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